


carefully; preciously

by NatsuKyoya (Sherloaf_and_Beljohn), Sherloaf_and_Beljohn



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Happy Ending, I LOVE ROCK LEE OK, I have no idea, Jealousy, Kidnapping, One-Sided Attraction, Other, Pining, Rivalry, SHIT i never thought i'd write for the naruto fandom ever again, Self-Sacrifice, Swearing, also this shit is LONG, does this fandom get any traffic anymore, heck, i forgot how much i love rock lee, oh my god he's so cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-13 22:47:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19260706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherloaf_and_Beljohn/pseuds/NatsuKyoya, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherloaf_and_Beljohn/pseuds/Sherloaf_and_Beljohn
Summary: "Sakura-chan, please go out with me! I'll protect you with my life!"Oh, how you wished that sentiment was directed at you. He is the sun, and you are but a budding plant seeking the warmth.





	carefully; preciously

**Author's Note:**

> i fucking love rock lee. also sorry if the summary sucks. also never thought i'd come back to write for the naruto fandom but ey it be like that sometimes. hope you enjoy!
> 
> this takes place after naruto has left, but before he comes back.

_"Sakura-chan, please go out with me! I'll protect you with my life!"_

You remember your mouth falling open upon hearing those words, remember gaping at Lee, remember seeing an expression you'd never seen on his face before. He was smitten at first sight, absolutely blown away by Sakura Haruno and you didn't understand _why_. As far as you knew, she was obsessed with Sasuke Uchiha, the stone-faced, brooding downer, and for what? For him to selfishly abandon the Leaf Village and leave everyone who cared about him behind. Additionally, judging from her reaction at Lee's sudden confession, she was definitely not interested in someone like him. 

Even now, those words haunt you. Lee's romantic interest in Sakura rivaled Shino's love for his bugs. For as long as you've known Lee, you never expected such a reaction from him over someone else. You only thought he got that passionate about things like beating Neji in a sparring match. It was surprising he knew what a date was. 

"Sakura-chan, please go out with me!" 

Despite all the prior rejections his feelings hadn't changed. 

You watch with a furrowed brow as Lee gazes at Sakura with the most enamored expression you've ever seen. A quick glance at her face tells you all you need to know; that she definitely will not be accepting his request (demand?) any time soon. But it seems that over the years she's gotten used to his declarations of love for her. Now, she wears a weary expression. You wonder if Lee can see the pity in her gaze. 

"Um, Lee, I really..." she grasps for words, and Lee nods energetically, practically glimmering with anticipation. You ignore the stone in your gut and come to her rescue―your first and last favor for her in this situation. 

"Lee, weren't you going to spar with Neji? He accepted your challenge for once, didn't he?" you ask, saving Sakura the pain of finding an excuse. His already wide eyes widen even more, and he straightens, stiff as a board and mouth open. 

"That is right! How could I have forgotten! Thank you, [First]! I will see you later, Sakura-chan! I shall win this match for you or run a thousand laps around the village!" he shouts, running off in a cloud of dust and wordless yelling. 

Sakura gives you a grateful look as he disappears, you return with a curt nod and a tight-lipped smile that doesn't reach your eyes. Without a word to her you leave, following Lee's dust trail. You can't help the distaste bubbling in your gut. Frustration and jealousy has you in its clutches and it takes several minutes before you can calm yourself down. Briefly, you wished you were in Sakura's shoes, even if only for a few minutes. 

As you walk deeper into the forest surrounding the Leaf Village, the trees part to reveal a familiar clearing. You've trained and fought here. Lost and won here. Fallen in love and taken out your frustrations here. Team Gai's designated area for training is your second favorite place to be. 

"Oh, [First], you made it. Just barely, though," Tenten says as you approach. "They're almost finished here." 

No matter how many times you see it, Lee's bruised and exhausted body is still just as heart-wrenching. You'd gotten a little used to it by now; he and Neji sparred an innumerable amount of times since Team Gai was assembled. Still, you always held onto hope that one day Lee would finally win against this seemingly invincible rival. 

"How long have they been fighting?" you ask, seating yourself beside her. 

She sighs. "Less than ten minutes, for sure. Neji hasn't even broken a sweat." She cups her hands around her mouth. "Lee! Don't push yourself enough so you end up in the hospital!" It's true; whereas Lee's clothes are dirty, his skin is bruised and sweat gleams on his forehead, Neji looks as if he has barely moved. 

"I have sworn to Sakura-chan, I must defeat you today or I will run a thousand laps!" Lee declares, lowering himself into a fighting stance, eyes burning with resolve and trained on the other boy. 

Neji's pale lavender eyes narrow. "Just try it; no matter how hard you work, all your efforts will end in failure. Just like it has countless times before!" The Hyuuga spits, leaping forward and thrusting his palm towards Lee's chest. You wince as the impact sends the boy flying back several feet. "Can you even land one hit on me? You're pathetic," Neji sneers. 

You bristle, preparing to stand. "Neji―"

Tenten stops you with a hand on your elbow. "Look, Lee's already standing up. He hasn't thrown in the towel yet," she gestures to the bowl-haired ninja. Indeed, Lee is pushing himself into a standing position. But he doesn't have much strength left; he's slouching, chest rising and falling with each rapid breath. A new bruise is forming on his left cheekbone. 

"I will fight you as many times as it takes," Lee promises; you marvel at how steady and determined his voice is despite the shakiness in his stance. "I will win!" 

Neji's sneer sharpens. "Try me." 

It's over in seconds. With another loud cry, Lee hurls himself in Neji's direction, but the latter is quicker, having sustained no injuries and you look away, hearing Lee's yelp of pain as he's tossed to the side once more like a rag doll. This time, he goes further, and he makes no move to get up, instead lying spread-eagle on his back in a shallow crater after Neji propelled him into the ground. The Hyuuga straightens his back, throwing a contemptuous scowl in Lee's direction. 

"You see? Your words are just that and nothing more; empty promises with nothing to back them up," he sneers. "Look at you, even after saying all of that and promising to beat me you can't even stand. I wouldn't expect anything less from a loser like―"

You grip a kunai tightly in your hand and tilt the blade at his throat in seconds. The metal glints dangerously under the afternoon sun. His eyes widen slightly but he does not react otherwise. 

"Say nothing more, Neji," you warn, eyebrows furrowed in a glare. You stay locked in a tense silence for a few seconds before he scoffs and averts his gaze, crossing his arms. You sheath your kunai and walk over to the half-unconscious boy. 

With a wave of your hands a stream of wind delicately lifts Lee's body from the ground, suspending him in a blanket of air. 

"Coddling won't do him any good," you hear Neji mutter. 

You don't spare a look back at him. "There's nothing wrong with helping a teammate. You should try it once." He scoffs. " _Healing winds_ ," you murmur, eyes trained on the crease between Lee's eyebrows. The wind below him shimmers with blue-green light. 

"You're so cool, [First]," Tenten smiles. 

"Like that idiot deserves her kindness."

"And you deserve it more?" You challenge Neji, turning to him with a narrowed gaze. He merely stares at you, and you look back at Lee, satisfied to see his pained expression melting into a peaceful one. 

Oh, Lee. Kind, naive, optimistic Lee. If anyone else fought Neji like this you'd expect them to be out of commission for at least a full day. Lee would probably be up and about by evening. Your gaze softens at the sight of his resting face. You reach out to brush some dirt from his cheek. 

"My youthful students―" you tear yourself away from Lee, "―I see there has been a bit of sparring going on!" Gai has a wide, cheerful grin on his face. Then his eyes hone in on Lee's floating body. "Ah, I see Lee and Neji sparred again," he says. 

"Yes, sensei," Tenten sighs. 

"The results are as you can see," Neji says, gaze directed at the trees in the back. 

"It looks like you both fought hard," Gai's smile widens. "Well, there's no need to stop now that I'm here. Continue onward with training, my youthful students!" 

"[First], wanna spar with me?" Tenten asks, and you nod, drawing your own weapons. 

...

As you predicted, Lee begins to stir when the sun begins dipping below the tree line, painting the sky with pink and orange. You stand from your resting spot between Neji and Tenten. The wind below him slowly begins to disperse, setting him gently on the ground. You kneel beside him. 

"Uh... what happened?" he asks, blinking blearily up at you. 

"You fought Neji," you say, hands folded in your lap. 

"You really overdid it this time, Lee. [First] had to use her spells to heal you or we would have had to bring you to the infirmary." Lee blinks, looks between you and her, and smiles. 

"Thank you very much, [First]! I am sorry to have been a burden," he says, sitting up. "I promise I will make it up to you!"

"You're never a burden, Lee," you say softly. "I didn't do it because I expected something in return." You wonder if he'll ever understand the weight behind your words.

He shakes his head. "No, no. I insist!" He gasps. "I lost to Neji! That means I must run a thousand laps around the village! I promised Sakura-chan!" 

"What? Lee, don't be crazy," Tenten frowns. "You just recovered! Get some rest―"

"I am afraid I cannot do that; a true ninja never goes back on his word!" Lee insists, already trotting off in the direction of the village. Tenten sighs, and you watch him leave, longing already bubbles in your gut. You wish he'd stayed a little longer. 

"Why must you try so hard for someone like him?" Neji asks, confusion and distaste evident in his voice. He comes to stand beside you; his gaze is heavy on your face. 

"Because I..." your voice trails off. With a sigh, you stand, brushing dirt off your clothes. "You already know the answer, Neji." 

"I do," you hear him cross his arms, "Yet I cannot comprehend it," he says. "Someone like you deserves more than someone like him." 

You blink, finally turning to face him. His lavender eyes bore into your own in a hard gaze. You feel like you're seeing him for the first time. Maybe it's just a trick of how the orange light is hitting his eyes, but they gleam with something you do not dare name. 

"What, like you?" The words are out of your mouth before you can stop them. Before he can answer, you speak again. "Lee is already more than enough. I know what I'm fighting for." Your lips turn up in a smile, one that doesn't reach your eyes, one that makes sorrow well up inside you. "It doesn't matter to me if Lee never realizes. I just want him happy." With that, you follow after Lee, heading back to the village. 

"Liar," Neji mutters, watching you leave. He hates how your expression saddens, how even after all this time you only have eyes for _Lee_. 

...

"Sakura-chan, please go on a date with me!" 

"Sorry, Lee, I can't!" 

There it is; Lee's weekly rejection. _Why_ , you think bitterly, _do I always have to be within earshot when it happens?_ You walk up to them, eyes trained on Lee. 

"Do you want to spar with me?" you ask, "I have some time before my mission." 

"Oh, [First]!" A surprised look crosses his face. "I am afraid I have something to do at the moment, but at a later time I will gladly accept your challenge!" Lee grins cheerfully, giving you a thumbs up. You want to sink into the ground. The corners of your mouth turn down slightly. 

_On the back burner, as usual_. You think, watching him turn his attention back to Sakura. As far as you knew, Lee would never turn down someone's offer to spar with someone, but you supposed asking Sakura on a date warranted more priority than training. _If only Sakura could just appreciate how much Lee adores her. Or if only Lee could understand how much I―_

"[First]? Is something the matter?" Lee asks. You blink, before you give him a tight-lipped smile. 

"No, it's nothing," frustration leaks into your tone, "I'll see you after my mission." You turn on your heel and stalk away, a crushing sense of helplessness welling up inside you. 

"[First]?" Lee tilts his head, his thick brows furrowing. Sakura looks between your retreating figure and Lee, before she sighs lightly. 

"Lee," the boy turns to her, "I'll..." she purses her lips. "I'll bring you shopping with me tomorrow, so go after [First]-san, okay?" 

Lee's face lights up, positively radiating happiness, and he swiftly salutes the pink-haired girl. "I will not disappoint you, Sakura-chan! Anything for you!" 

...

Maybe you should go to Neji and ask him to spar you instead. At least _he_ won't turn you down. Probably. You glare at the ground, kicking stray pebbles in your path. _Lee's persistence isn't going to get him anywhere. She's too hung up over that loser Sasuke to even consider him. Lee's too good for her and who the hell knows what Sasuke is up to. Like I even care._

"[First]! [First]! Please wait for me!" Frown still on your face, you turn at the sound of Lee's voice. He's running up to you, with the widest, _stupidest, cutest_ grin on his face―

"What is it, Lee?" you ask tiredly. 

"Sakura-chan has agreed to go on a date with me!" Your heart drops, a cold wave passes over your body. You can't breathe. What? What did he just say? "Well, it is more like she said she would bring me shopping with her tomorrow, but does that not count as a date?" Lee muses innocently, and you clench your fists, before turning to him with a firm, narrowed gaze. 

"Do you even know anything about shopping, Lee?" Your tone is more biting than you'd like. 

He almost grimaces. "Not quite... but I will persevere for Sakura-chan's sake! I must not let this chance go to waste!" 

"That girl won't like you better if you force yourself to do this," you practically spit out the words, spite giving them a forceful edge. Guilt immediately crashes over you. A new kind of frustration arises, frustration at yourself, at your lack of compassion for him in what you could only assume to be the happiest day of his life. "I-I mean―... I didn't―" you avert your gaze, clenched fists shaking lightly. "I'm sorry―"

Lee raises a firm hand, stopping you. "You may be right," he says, voice unwavering, "but even so, even if Sakura-chan does not acknowledge me or my feelings, I still wish to do my best!"

God, you could cry. You feel like you've lost. "Why? Why would you go so far for someone who..." _For someone who doesn't love you?_ The words linger on the tip of your tongue, but you bite them back. You can't bring yourself to tell Lee something he already knows. 

"Ever since I saw her, Sakura-chan has been precious to me," he says, "She has been someone who I wish to protect. Do you not also wish to protect those precious to you?" he asks, not unkindly. 

"I do, of course I do," your frown deepens. "But..." You knew this from the start; Lee would never see you as anything other than a fellow ninja. A teammate. A friend. "I don't want you to get hurt," you say quietly, voice wavering. He puts a hand on your shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. 

"Do not worry, [First]," he smiles, giving you another thumbs up. "Everything will be okay!" Even though you know this to be true, even though you're _sure_ Sakura will never acknowledge Lee's feelings, you can't bring yourself to disagree with him. Not in this moment, where he's smiling so _happily_ , when there's a dazed, ecstatic look to his eyes that fits him so well, that makes him near _radiant_. Despite the stinging in your eyes and nose and the urge to scream, his grin is infectious, and you feel yourself smiling slightly in return. 

You want so _badly_ to be the reason why he's smiling, to give him the love you know he deserves, to be his precious person. You want to be strong regardless if he ever realizes. But everyone has a weakness, and you know that yours is and will always be Rock Lee. 

...

_"Sakura-chan! Please go on a date with me!"_

_"Sakura-chan, looking beautiful as ever!"_

_"Sakura-chan, I love you!"_

Your eyes open readily, as if you hadn't slept at all. The sun is just rising above the trees and you sit up, heart pounding. A heavy sigh escapes your mouth. 

_"Sakura-chan has agreed to go on a date with me!"_

"Shit," you mutter, pressing your hand to your eyes. "Are pigs flying yet?" 

You never thought this day would come. Maybe you're actually having a fever dream and slapping yourself will jerk you awake and back to the normal, preferred reality that Sakura would never accept Lee's declaration of love, or offer for a date. Throwing the covers off, you practically run to the bathroom to shower, intent on spending as long as you could underneath the hottest water you can stand. It doesn't do much for the stone in your gut, but it makes you at least feel a little more ready for the day. 

Part of you wonders if anyone is free to spar with; maybe working yourself until exhaustion will help you get your mind off things. But another part of you wants to follow Sakura and Lee around. An even more selfish part of you fantasizes that Lee will finally realize how hopeless it is for him to keep pursuing Sakura romantically. You immediately chastise yourself for such thoughts. 

_"It doesn't matter to me if Lee never realizes. I just want him happy."_

Neji would probably laugh at you if he was able to hear your thoughts. You fight back and forth with your hypocrisy up until you leave your home, and take a deep breath of the cool spring air. No. These thoughts would not bring you down today. You would be strong, push through the day and set aside your selfish desires for as long as you could. For Lee. 

After receiving your daily missions, you put all your energy into focusing on completing them. If not for yourself, then at least for the sake of your teammates, who know nothing of the inner turmoil raging inside you and are also just as tired as you. For the most part, they go smoothly. You cross them off the list one by one, having little trouble seeing them through to the end. But when you get back to the village, your body is sore and there's a suspicious twinge in your left ankle, one that lasts when you roll it gingerly. 

"[First]!" 

Your heart jumps in your throat. Lee. Is he done shopping with Sakura already? It's not even late afternoon. Vaguely you wonder if she got sick of him and decided to ditch him early on. 

"Lee," you turn to face the direction of his voice, "are you done shopping? How was your day―" 

"[First], it is terrible!" he bursts out, fists clenched and unusually thick eyebrows furrowed. "Sakura-chan and I were walking and one minute she is right beside me and then the next she is _gone_!"

"Did she leave you?" you ask, frowning hesitantly, "Maybe she just decided to go home early―"

"No!" Lee shakes his head insistently, "I heard her call out to me, I think she has been kidnapped!" You gape at him for a few seconds. Is this his idea of a joke? But Lee would never lie to you, and the panic in his voice and on his face is too real. 

"Where did you see her last?" you ask, mind and body alert and tense. "Do we have time to ask someone for help?" you mutter to yourself urgently, "No, the perpetrator will have gotten too far by the time we put together a team. Shit!" you look towards Lee, face set with determination. "Take me to where you saw her last!" He shoots off in the direction he came, and you're not as fast as him, partially because his speed has always exceeded yours and partially because your ankle throbs insistently the more you run after him. You try to shake off the discomfort. "Which direction did you hear her voice?" you ask. He looks around him jerkily, expression twisted deeply with worry. 

"I-I believe it was this way!" He points past a line of shops, and you follow after him, eyes darting around for any sign of a struggle, any clues that Sakura might have left behind. 

"There!" you point to strands of light pink hair caught on a tree branch above you. "Lee, this way!" The two of you dart from tree to tree, gaining speed and barely managing to stay on the trail of hairs, which you're sure have been cut, given the amount and uneven length of them. 

The trail goes on for longer than you'd thought. Shit, how far had they gotten in the few moments where Lee went looking for you? 

"[First], look!" Lee leaps down to the ground, landing squarely in front of a small cave opening. He picks up a torn piece of red fabric. "This cloth... it must be from her!" he glares ahead at the darkened entrance of the cave. "She must be in there! Let us go and rescue her!"

"Wait, Lee!" You stop him with a hand latching onto his shoulder. "Don't just run ahead! What if there are traps set?" 

"We will get through them! We cannot keep her waiting!" Lee pulls forward, and you're left grasping at the air. "I am coming to save you, Sakura-chan! Just hang on!"

"Lee! Wait!" You're forced to follow him, squinting into the darkness and gingerly stepping on the rough, uneven ground. The light streaming from the entrance gets dimmer and dimmer; you wonder how deep this cave actually is. 

"Sakura-chan!" Lee shouts, making you flinch. His voice echoes, ricochetting off the walls and fading ominously into the distance. 

"Sakura-san, are you there?!" You call out. 

"L-Lee? Anyone? [First]-san?" A distant voice calls back. You follow the sound of the voice, eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness. There don't seem to be any visible traps, but you wave your hands in front of you, feeling for anything that might trigger something. "Here! I'm here!" Her voice is close, so close, and when you take your next left there she is, struggling against thick, coarse-looking ropes. 

"Sakura-san!" you exclaim. Lee, who has been close on your heel, dashes forward, and starts working on cutting away the ropes. "Are you okay?" you ask. 

"I'm fine," she says, voice frantic. "But you guys need to hurry! It isn't safe in here!"

As if on cue, your ears pick up a faint beeping. You whirl around, eyes searching the damp, darkened cave for something, anything―

And then you spot it. On the ceiling, a dim, blinking red light. Your eyes widen, and you grab a fistful of Lee and Sakura's sleeves, hurling them back the direction you came. 

Seconds later, a deafening boom shakes the ground, makes you wince and all three of you cry out when explosions erupt along the roof of the cave. You cry out as something heavy and sharp strikes your head, splitting the skin and you collapse, curling up and shielding your head from the shards of rock raining down. You hear one of their voices call out your name. 

" _Hehehehe_ ―!" a voice, much too pitched to be Lee's and too gravelly to be Sakura's echoes throughout the cave. Fear tingles up your spine. Damn, if only you'd run into Neij on the way here―

You roll onto your hands and knees, wincing as rocks dig painfully into your skin. Another explosion makes you fold in on yourself, pressing your hands to your ears and your eyes sting as dust and dirt flies through the air. Your ears are ringing, you feel blood trickling down the back of your skull, but all that matters is―

"[First]!" Lee's voice booms through the cave. "[First]! Are you okay?!"

"Lee―" you cough out, and feel a presence beside you. A hand, large and rough and cold clamps onto your wrist and you swing your other fist at the person. A high-pitched cackle makes your body tense with fear. "Lee, take Sakura and run!" you snatch a kunai from your leg pouch. 

"But―"

"Don't you dare start!" you shout. Why can't you see the other person? Why can't you _see_ them? "I didn't shove your asses out of the way for you to stay in here and get hurt!" 

There's a metallic _shing_ somewhere to your left, and you roll to the side, hearing the whistle of a long blade being thrust your way. 

"Shit! Try me!" You yell at the unknown perpetrator. You stumble back, back where you remember coming from. "I'll meet you at the entrance, so leave, okay!?" You shout back at Lee.

"But, [First]―"

"Rock Lee I swear to Gai-sensei if you don't listen to me right _fucking_ now―!" something slices your leg and you scream, stumbling to the ground. Your kunai flies out of your hand, clattering across the rocks on the ground. 

_"Do you three want to play with destiny~?"_ The voice echoes throughout the whole cave; it surrounds you. 

"I know a guy who's obsessed," you wince, hand pressed against the gash in your leg. It stings, weeps, you feel blood seep through your stiff fingers. 

"Come out and fight, coward!" Lee yells. 

_"Only one of you can stay... I only have time to play with one..."_ the voice drawls; you hear the smile in the stranger's voice, _"It isn't so hard... you want to save your friends right? Right?"_

You hear Lee growl from somewhere behind you. "I will defeat you―" 

"No! Get out of here!" you growl. Lee stops; you hear incredulity in his voice. 

"[First], I will not leave you―"

"I said get the hell out!" you bark, " _I'll_ deal with whoever this asshole is; just get Sakura-san to safety, you _idiot_!" 

" _I see your pain_." Fingers, thin and bony, grab your face, squeezing and you let out a muffled squeak. Someone, _something_ is looming above you, its' breath curls over your cheeks, you feel something hair-like tickle your face. _"I see your struggle, your desires. Why not sacrifice the pink one, hm? Then you'd have him all to yourself―"_

"Shut up!" you swing your arm at the presence in front of you. 

" _You can't hide it, not from me!_ " It shrieks gleefully, " _I see it, I see it! You want him! You want him to notice you but when she's there he doesn't even_ look at you―!"

"I said _SHUT UP_!" You scream, pulling small, explosive pellets out of your pouch and hurling them in the direction of the voice. 

"[First]-san! Watch out!" Sakura screeches. You're given no time to heed her warning as an intense pain suddenly shoots through your whole body. You try to speak, but a horrible gurgling sound comes out of your throat instead. Slowly, you look down to see the tip of a dagger poking through your stomach. "[First]-san!"

"Stop it!" Lee yells at the invisible stranger. "Leave [First] alone!"

You reach behind you and grasp the hilt with shaking hands, intent on pulling it out. No, you can't to that; you'll bleed out if you do. But it hurts so _much_. 

"Lee, please," your voice is significantly weaker. "Please just get Sakura-san out of here."

"Why? Why do you insist on doing this?!" Lee cries. 

"She's your precious person, isn't she?" You hack up droplets of blood. With your eyes fully adjusted you see Lee's horrified expression, eyes wide and lips pursed and you want to hug him, to tell him everything's going to be _okay_ ―

"I don't want your precious person to suffer, because―" you haul yourself up on your feet, using the wall as support. "I want to protect the person precious to _me_ ," and you try to force a laugh, but the sound is pained and your lungs burn from the dust and smoke inhalation. 

"[First], _please_ ―"

You raise your fists and a gust of powerful wind shoves Lee and Sakura back. He puts his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "Get out!" your voice breaks, "Get out, _get out_!" you scream, sending gust after gust of air in their direction. "Out! _Out_!" 

The ground below you shakes, and you hear that same, mocking laughter from behind you. Or is it above you? 

" _What a brave little leaf... so you've chosen your fate?_ " The voice taunts. 

"Fate this, fate that, it's annoying!" you hiss, tying an explosive to a kunai and chucking it at the entrance. 

"[First]―"

This time, an explosion of your own doing causes the cafe to collapse once more, and you hear the sound of Lee calling your name for mere seconds before crumbling and collapsing rocks block the entrance, sealing you inside. 

You try to stand, but the pain in your leg and stomach coupled with all the blood you've lost quickly takes its toll. You collapse, arms folded across the wound in your stomach. _Shit... even though I said I'd deal with this asshole..._ You think furiously. Your hand reaches in your pouch to take out another explosive. Something smacks the paper away, and you feel a foot hit you squarely in the back, sending you flying forward. 

" _C'mon little leaf, don't bore me now_ ," the voice hisses. " _Let's see what you're made of_." Your fingers can barely hold onto your weapons at this point. Something sharp presses against your throat and you stop moving. " _Don't tell me all your fight is gone?_ " You hear the sound of a tongue clicking. " _You were interesting. Much more interesting than the other two. Has your time run out?_ "

You close your eyes. Your options are limited. Very limited. You can try to fight, but your leg, ankle and stomach are major hindrances. You could let them just kill you, but didn't want to for, well, obvious reasons. You _really_ wish someone else were here. But as long as Lee got Sakura to safety―

" _You're boring._ " The voice says flatly, and you cry out as your body is flung against the wall. You cough, each spasm wracking your body with intense, overwhelming pain. 

"As long as―Lee―" you wheeze. "He has his precious person. That's enough for me." 

" _You could have been his most precious person,_ " the thing hisses; you see something glinting in front of you. A pair of eyes. " _You could have had him_ in your clutches."

"No," you whisper, voice wavering, "I never could have been his precious person. I lost that battle long ago." 

" _Well, no matter_ ," the voice says, now behind you. " _you'll be dead soon enough_." Something cold and pointed touches the nape of your neck. It presses forward, and you don't even have it in you to wince as it pierces your skin. " _Farewell, little leaf_." A strange rumble sounds in the distance. Maybe you're hallucinating. 

_Lee._

You close your eyes and try to picture his face. His stupid, wide, cute grin. His determination. His strength. His ridiculous green outfits and his hair. His ultra polite speech, his obsession with fighting and winning against Neji. 

_"First]!"_

Ah... you can hear him. 

_"[First]!"_

If only you could have seen him smile at you one last time. 

"[First]!" 

You open your eyes. In the darkness, something is moving. You hear rocks tumbling down across the cave floor. Your skin splits as the sharp, pointed weapon is pressed insistently against your throat. One quick jab and it would cut your jugular. You'd die gasping for breath. 

"...Lee."

...

Your body feels weightless; you don't know up or down. Are you floating? Have you somehow performed your jutsu on yourself at the last second? God, what's that beeping sound? You take a deep, slow breath through your nose and sigh. The air smells clean, not wet or heavy like it had in the cave. Maybe you're dead. Maybe that's why your body feels like lead but weightless at the same time. 

Blinking wearily, your eyes open and stare at the ceiling. Wait... the ceiling. 

Your eyes open just like they had the morning of Lee and Sakura's date. Quickly, effortlessly. Your breathing is steady and you stare at what appears to be the ceiling of the Leaf Village infirmary. 

"[First]-san, you're awake!" 

_Lee?_ You think, using every muscle available to turn your head. No. It's not. 

"Sakura-san?" your voice is thin and raspy. 

"Here," she holds a glass of water to your lips. You drink gratefully. 

"Am I dead?" you ask flatly. 

"No, you're alive," Sakura responds, setting down the glass. "Lee-kun saved you." 

_'...'Lee-kun'?'_

"Lee did....? ...Lee? Where's Lee?" you ask urgently, attempting to push yourself up. You suck in a breath; your abdomen feels tight, like something is constricting it, and when you look down you see layers and layers of bandages wrapped around your stomach. 

"Don't push yourself!" Sakura puts a gentle hand on your shoulder, guiding you to lie back down. "Your wounds are still fresh; if you move too much you'll disrupt the sutures." 

"Is Lee okay? He wasn't hurt right?" your words tumble out of your mouth. 

Sakura smiles. "He's fine, he's fine. He's quick to recover, anyhow." She reassures you. 

You breathe a sigh of relief. A moment of silence passes between you. 

"Of course he is," you mutter, "He's an idiot. Idiots don't get colds. Or stay hurt for very long." 

She actually chuckles at that. "I guess so." She pauses. "And... I'm sorry," you blink up at her, "I had to tell him... your secret." 

You nod placidly. "After that creep spilled the beans I guess you didn't really have a choice." She crosses her arms and leans back in a huff.

"Even after that the idiot was confused. You have no idea how many times I had to spell it out for him!" 

You watch her carefully as she explains, exasperated. Maybe it's because you're on some major pain killers and the dirt and dust in your lungs has made your brain go a little fuzzy, but the usual stiffness in your posture when you're around Sakura is gone. 

"You know..." you turn your head to look at her. "Lee-kun was really worried about you the entire time." Sakura says, looking down at her hands. "I don't think I'd ever seen him like that. He kept running around and didn't know what to do. I was worried he was gonna hurt himself." She turns her gaze to lock with yours, bright jade eyes studying your face. "But he was determined to save you, no matter what." 

"... Is that so?" you muse, turning to look out the window. It's bright, probably afternoon, and the skies are cloudless, revealing a vivid blue expanse that stretches as far as you could see. 

"He'll probably visit you later," she says, and stands. "I hope you feel better soon." You watch as she walks to the door. "And―" you see her hesitate, "Thank you, [First]." 

Her eyes lock with yours again. Something passes between you, something understanding and familiar and _reassuring_. 

You smile. "Anytime, Sakura." 

...

Neji and Tenten are next to visit, and by that time you're well enough to sit up. Tenten rushes towards you, practically throwing herself on your lap. You wince, grimacing. 

"[First]! I was so worried!" she cries, rubbing her face against you. 

"There, there," you pat her head. "It's fine, I'm here, aren't I?"

"You're quite severely injured," Neij crosses his arms. 

"But I'm alive," you grin at him. He seems taken aback by this; you wonder if this is the first time you've smiled this widely at him. "Sorry to worry you guys."

"Yeah, you better be!" Tenten pinches your cheeks between her fingers, eyes wet and a deep frown on her face. "You and Lee are both _idiots_!" She cries. 

"Sh-showwy," you say as she pulls your cheeks. "All I really wanted was to get Sakura out safely..."

"And ignore your own life?! Gah! You and Lee are one in the same!" Tenten groans. You can't help but smile at her. 

"Sorry," you say again. 

"As long as you're safe now," Neji says. "We have nothing to worry about." 

A knock on the door cuts off whatever Tenten is about to say, and the three of you turn. "Come in," you call. The door cracks open, and you see a familiar bowl-cut haired boy peeking in the room. "Either come in or don't, but don't linger in the doorway, Lee," you call. He shuffles in slowly, keeping his eyes down to the ground. He reminds you of a kicked puppy, moving towards the bed one tentative step at a time. 

"Anyways, we'll visit you again, [First], so you better rest up," Tenten says. Lee twitches―like he was expecting them to stay. 

"Don't do anything stupid," is Neji's oh-so heartfelt goodbye to you. You frown at him. 

"Neji-kun you're not very compassionate to your recovering teammate," you call as he leaves. You can almost hear his eyes roll. 

It's quiet, too quiet with just you and Lee in the room. You expected to feel more anxious, but you're strangely calm. Maybe it's the meds. "It's nice outside," you say finally, looking towards the window. "I wish they'd let some fresh air in but I guess I'll have to wait." Another silence passes. Out of the corner of your eye you see him fidget. You sigh. "If you wanna say something, spit it out," you say. 

"I am very sorry!" He declares loudly, bowing to you at a sharp angle. 

"Wh-what?" you jump slightly. 

"I was not aware of your feelings! If I had known then I would not have acted so carelessly in front of you!" 

"You mean you would have rejected me sooner had you known?" you smile bitterly. Lee winces. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to make you feel bad. You've done nothing wrong. Even before I realized I liked you I knew I already lost to her." 

It's almost surreal, to be sitting here telling Lee your feelings for him. Surreal because you'd never thought this day would come, at least not as suddenly as it has. He's certainly quieter than you've ever seen him. You direct your eyes to stare out the window once more. It's coming to an end, you can feel it; all the months of you liking him, the months of him not knowing and only thinking of you as a teammate. All the moments that you've been able to enjoy in his company _because_ he didn't know. It's ending and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Your vision blurs. 

"[First]..." Lee begins, and you look at him, tears slipping down your cheeks. His eyes widen, and you avert your gaze quickly, wiping your eyes roughly with the back of your hand. Great. He'd never seen you cry before, and you intended to keep it that way. "It is true that Sakura-chan is precious to me, and I want to protect her with all my strength," he looks down at his fists. "But... I also know that she will never return my feelings. I know this, and yet I still believed. When you were unconscious, I even told her all of this." 

You look up at him, wide-eyed. "W-wha―... I-I don't know what you're saying." 

"I have been chasing after her, foolishly. It is true that I hoped she would return my feelings, but I also knew it would be next to impossible." 

"Y-you're not saying this just to make m-me feel better, right?" you ask. "You're not lying to me, are you?" 

"Of course not!" he insists. "[First], I would never intentionally hurt you!" 

"I know, I know," you press your sleeve into your eyes. "I-I'm sorry, I just―" you bite your lip. 

"[First], I―I realized a lot about myself today," he says. "I did not even know that I was capable of... of feeling like this."

"You were head over heels for Sakura the moment you saw her," you remind him dryly. He winces again. 

"Wh-what I am trying to say is that―!" he says, cutting himself off. "I―I―"

"Lee," you say, voice gentle, "you don't have to say anything. I knew from the beginning that you only had eyes for Sakura. I knew that, and I also believed." 

_"You and Lee are one in the same."_

"I guess we are pretty similar," you smile. "the only difference is I accepted my fate long ago." He stares at you blankly. You avert your gaze. Dammit, your eyes are watering again. "Lee, I really like you. I have for a while, b-but―" your voice cracks, "I'm grateful for the moments we spent together as teammates. And friends. I don't want them to end," your fists tighten around your sheets. "I don't want to hear you say, 'I like you' to make me feel better. Because it won't. I-I just want you to be happy, and―"

"But [First]!" he interrupts loudly, and you turn to look at him, leaning back when you see how close he is. His brows are furrowed and he's giving you such an _intense_ look. "I want to say what I have to say! I have wanted to say it for a while, so please...!" 

You blink up at him. 

"[First], I like you!" he declares loudly. "I have not trained my body or mind enough to hear your response, but I will protect you with my life! I know I am not worthy of you, not after everything that has happened, but still! I wish to tell you my true feelings!" 

_"Sakura-chan, please go out with me! I'll protect you with my life!"_

"Lee..." you whisper. You stare at each other, you with a wide eyed gaze, him with a firm, determined glare. "Are you... are you sure?" "I am!" He replies with an affirmative nod. He sounds so sure of himself. But you don't really believe him. Not yet. There's hope for you, you can feel it, but this is too sudden. This isn't an illusion, right? You're completely sane and not under some genjutsu, right? "I know it may be difficult for you to believe me, after I treated you so poorly... but I am not lying! [First], I like you!" Your hand reaches up and grabs a fistful of his suit. He jumps, wide eyes going wider and his lips part. "Lee, I-I'm going to kiss you if you don't stop me. S-so... so if you don't want to, you better stop me now―" He all but lunges forward, near crushing his lips to yours and you wince, fist tightening around the cloth. It isn't a neat kiss at all; you both have little to no experience in kissing, and your lips move clumsily against the other, but it makes your body sing like it never has before. His hand timidly, shakily comes up to cup your cheek lightly. It sends tingles prickling all down your body. 

Lee is practically _glowing_ when you pull away. His eyes are sparkling and there's a slight flush to his cheeks and shit if it isn't the cutest damn thing you've ever seen―

"I like you, [First]," he says, voice a whisper this time. "For making you suffer I will run three thousand laps―"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," you hold your hands up. "You can't say those sorts of things after we kissed―"

"But I must make up for what I have done!"

"That kiss was more than enough!" Both of your faces are red and you avert your gazes simultaneously. "You don't need to make anything up to me, Lee," you lift your hand to run fingers through his hair. You relish the following shiver that passes through his body. "You're more than enough. You've always been enough." 

"[First]..." 

"You are my precious person," you whisper. His eyes shimmer, and he hugs you tightly. You wince. "L-Lee, _stomach_ ―" 

"I-I am very sorry!" he reels back. 

"When I'm better, I'll hug you as much as you want, okay?" you smile. His face goes absolutely crimson. 

"Y-y-y-yes!"

**Author's Note:**

> i REALLY love rock lee. he's so soft. and pure and determined and UGH. long ago during the era of quizilla i read this rock lee story and i really REALLY wish i could read it again to feel what i felt over and over. that story made me fall in love with lee and it's gone forever (๑o̴̶̷̥᷅﹏o̴̶̷̥᷅๑) oh well....


End file.
